Liberal Democrat candidate for Bath, Jay Risbridger, and Dine Romero, leader of the Lib Dems on B&NES Council have launched a petition to gather support against the introduction of a Metro Mayor for the area.
The new Mayor will cover much of the former Avon region, excluding North Somerset. The Devolution package for the combined authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset is currently tied to also having a directly elected Metro Mayor.
Mr Risbridger said: “The devolution deal covers a wide geographical area with two important and distinctly different cities, and many rural communities.”
“Local politicians are better able to make the strategic and important decisions around housing and transport for their regions.
“It is important that key decisions for Bath and the surrounding area are made in this area. The decision makers must be accountable to the people of the City, and to those in N E Somerset, and not more distant, in Bristol.”
Cllr Romero added: “We do not need or want another layer of costly bureaucracy as this will hamper the development of Bath, and of our more rural towns and villages.
“We know that in Bath and N E Somerset an elected Mayor is not wanted- the local residents voted against having a mayor 8:1 earlier this year”.
“We have launched a petition for Bath & N E Somerset for those who do not want a Mayor for Avon. Similar petitions are being launched in S Gloucestershire, and also in Bristol.
“Our residents tell us that they are not happy about having a Metro Mayor imposed over them, with all the fears of Avon that this resurrects.”
The petition can be found at www.bathneslibdems.org.uk/stop_avon_mayor.
